The article “Health economics and vaccine financing in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: A needs assessment,” published in Vaccine by Elsevier, provides a comprehensive analysis of how health economics and financing are being applied in immunization programmes across the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR). Authored by Palwasha Anwari, Gerald Sume, Wedyan Meshreky, Nathalie Vande Maele, So Yoon Sim, Karene Hoi Ting Yeung, Diana Kizza, Philipp Lambach, Maarten Paul Maria Jansen, Raymond Hutubessy, and Quamrul Hasan, the study evaluates national capacities, identifies critical gaps, and proposes actions to improve evidence-based vaccine financing and policy formulation.
Based on survey responses from 22 EMR countries, the study reveals that only 19% have fully integrated health economics into immunization planning, with most reporting limited expertise in cost-effectiveness analysis and sustainability. The authors emphasize the urgent need for capacity-building, stronger data systems, and collaboration with academic and technical partners to strengthen vaccine policy, ensure financial sustainability, and support equitable immunization coverage across the region.